Lookout Mountain Auto Race
Play the slide show below to see the classic cars that competed in the auto race up Lookout Mountain.
I barely remember this day, which makes me believe that it was around 1955. My Dad took these pictures and I recovered them from old slides.
Does anyone recall the last year they held this race? I'm looking forward to hearing sports car enthusiasts chime in as to what make/model some of these cars were. Even better, it would be great if anyone remembers who some of the drivers were.
Here is an exert from a blog that gives some details about the race in 1954. It comes from 'AutoracingMemories.com':
The Corvette in the '54 Lookout Mountain climb was driven by a fellow by the name of Paul Reeves. Unfortunately the 'Vette was no match for the Jaguar XK120s which dominated the Over 1500cc production car class, finishing 14th in a field of 17 cars, with a time of 6 minutes 45.3 seconds. The class winner was ... Paul Reeves in a Jag witha time of 6 minutes 0.4 seconds.
The only other non-Jag in the field was a supercharged Kaiser Darrin driven by Kaiser dealer Gene Kurland. The Darrin didn't do all that well either, finishing 12th at 6 min 32.2 secs.
The photo below, taken at the '54 climb, shows the Darrin waiting it's turn on the hill, behind the #87 Robert Johnson "Mordan Mod.", presumably a modified Morgan. Johnson finished second in the Over 1500cc Modified category, with a time of 6 minute 5.3 seconds.
I barely remember this day, which makes me believe that it was around 1955. My Dad took these pictures and I recovered them from old slides.
Does anyone recall the last year they held this race? I'm looking forward to hearing sports car enthusiasts chime in as to what make/model some of these cars were. Even better, it would be great if anyone remembers who some of the drivers were.
Here is an exert from a blog that gives some details about the race in 1954. It comes from 'AutoracingMemories.com':
The Corvette in the '54 Lookout Mountain climb was driven by a fellow by the name of Paul Reeves. Unfortunately the 'Vette was no match for the Jaguar XK120s which dominated the Over 1500cc production car class, finishing 14th in a field of 17 cars, with a time of 6 minutes 45.3 seconds. The class winner was ... Paul Reeves in a Jag witha time of 6 minutes 0.4 seconds.
The only other non-Jag in the field was a supercharged Kaiser Darrin driven by Kaiser dealer Gene Kurland. The Darrin didn't do all that well either, finishing 12th at 6 min 32.2 secs.
The photo below, taken at the '54 climb, shows the Darrin waiting it's turn on the hill, behind the #87 Robert Johnson "Mordan Mod.", presumably a modified Morgan. Johnson finished second in the Over 1500cc Modified category, with a time of 6 minute 5.3 seconds.
So it took about 6 minutes for the cars to go from the stone pillars to the top. My best time on a bicycle when I was a young man was 27 minutes.
